Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boden Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boden

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,453 in Boden, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,298 in Boden, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,143 in Boden, rent included.

Medellin is about 30% cheaper than Boden, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Boden is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$19.45 SEK 183

-69.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$42.92 SEK 403

-23.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.50 SEK 98.6

-32.48%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.13 SEK 19.98

-19.72%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.71 SEK 16.06

-35.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$2.07 SEK 19.41

-62.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$5.16 SEK 48.43

-67.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$7.53 SEK 70.7

-59.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.38 SEK 12.98

-21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.89 SEK 27.15

-56.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.06 SEK 19.37

-33.01%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.67 SEK 25.09

-17.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.31 SEK 49.89

-17.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.20 SEK 58.3

-9.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$6.16 SEK 57.9

44.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.71 SEK 25.49

-13.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.67 SEK 25.08

-60.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.65 SEK 24.93

-43.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$4.55 SEK 42.73

-69.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.55 SEK 14.60

-25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.02 SEK 9.58

13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.28 SEK 12.05

-30.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$2.56 SEK 24.06

-67.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$10.97 SEK 103

-79.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.46 SEK 98.2

1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$3.97 SEK 37.33

-69.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.71 SEK 25.44

-8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$2.63 SEK 24.68

-67.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$72.6 SEK 682

-42.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$5.19 SEK 48.79

-71.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.66 SEK 15.59

18.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$61.1 SEK 573

-87.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$2.23 SEK 20.94

-57.40%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$26.7K SEK 250.9K

-32.11%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$26.5K SEK 249.2K

-0.15%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$111 SEK 1,039

-25.63%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$52.5 SEK 493

-81.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$52.1 SEK 489

-53.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$62.1 SEK 583

-58.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$24.60 SEK 231

-22.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$13.14 SEK 123

-70.09%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$309 COP 1.1M

$79.0 SEK 742

291.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,095 SEK 38.5K

45.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$131 SEK 1,235

-55.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$78.8 SEK 740

-58.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$98.5 SEK 925

4.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$246 SEK 2,307

-55.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$959 SEK 9,005

-50.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$261 SEK 2,451

45.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$734 SEK 6,892

14.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$519 SEK 4,876

39.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$3,875 SEK 36.4K

-27.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,975 SEK 27.9K

-59.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$4,027 SEK 37.8K

-87.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

235.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Boden: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $959 in Boden. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 687% higher in Boden, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $43.00 in Boden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $279 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Boden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Boden is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,179 in Boden. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,453 in Boden. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 75% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Boden at $1,453. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Boden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.